"In Unpopular Essays Bertrand Russell wrote, "Man is credulous animal and must believe in something. In the absence of good grounds for belief, he will be satisfied with bad ones." Each type of pseudo-populism comes into being to improve or save its respective adherents from the absence of a moral or social framework, which means that even if we don't understand them fully, we are expected to place our faith in them. Although these pseudo-populist organizations are relatively small, they manage to influence governments, invoke terror, and control large sums of capital. Relatively speaking, none of them has a large following, but they do have intense ones. In a global context, all stand on the most narrow of pedestals, and all have successfully seized key levers of power."

REAPING WHAT YOU SOW

It was no great mystery to my grandfather what crop he would reap come harvest time, because he had carefully chosen the seeds, prepared the soil and defended his investment against damaging insects. As the old saying goes, he reaped what he sowed.

Today, by contrast, we face the business challenges os ISOW - Insecurity, Standards, Overwhelm and Work Ethic. (Think, "I reap what I SOW.) Faced with these challenges, I find that I sometimes yearn for the past, and I imagine myself transported back to my gloriously simple childhood and a place that I loved. I could run Free! I could yell at the top of my lungs, and all the space of acreage would absorb the sound. I work hard at keeping my life simple, yet, I, too frequently have to stop and ask myself, "Who am I becoming? What do I want? What do I believe? Does my business reflect my values and passions? Am I more concerned about character, honesty, integrity and quality than I am about accumulating money? Keep me close to the farm. Let me remember that happy, carefree child who loved the outdoors and yearned to teach someday. Grant me the ability and clarity to turn the 21st century business challenges into a personal, giving vocation. Keep me small, human and personal. And may we all humbly remember that what we reap what we sow.

WHAT WE SAY TO EACH OTHER

Timing. Timing. Timing.

Every thing we hear is pulled
Into our souls by our interpretation
At that moment.

Say the same exact thing at another
Time and what we hear... what we take
In is different.

Examples are endless... but some stand out as I live each day....

I love you.

For some.... they are looking into the eyes of their future and in that moment they are reminded why they love.
For some.... they are looking into the eyes of a person that has a place that no one may every touch, but to say those words back would be a lie.
For some... those words create a level of anxiety, a world of trust they may not believe in.

I have stood by people many times in each of these situations.
I have also been that person in every position.

And my answers, feelings and responses would be different today
Then ten years ago and ten years before that.

Timing!

There are a million of these moments, questions, words, answers,

Responses and feelings running through each of us every day.

On Monday you have the key to the world and on Friday you have no idea what world you are trying to open.

Men live through all the same situations as women and we need to stop
Leaving them out. Emotions are human.

There is safety in timing.... if you believe in it.

Learning to let time come, settle, pass and start over.

The only thing I am certain of other than
I believe in timing.....

Our my beliefs in what we say to each other ...
And their impact
Truly belongs to each person's ability to hear.

I am not always ready to hear the truth.
I am not always hearing what people are actually saying,
I carry my own set of stones in my belly and fires in my heart
And both are moved or set a flame by the words of another.

So here is my plan....

See if it works for you...

Every time I have "heard" something that truly caused a
Reaction in me....

Love....
Anger....
Fear....
Happiness....
Defensive....
Hope....
Friendship....
Acceptance...
Rejection....

If it moved me in another direction or made me question something good, bad or indifferent...

I SAID NOTHING! (really that is true) ha ha

I WROTE WHAT THE PERSON SAID DOWN FIVE TIMES!

AND EACH NIGHT I TOOK THOSE "WORDS" AND ATTEMPTED TO
COME UP WITH FIVE INTERPRETATIONS OF WHAT I WAS
HEARING.

Here are my conclusions thus far....

1. I need a dictionary
2. My interpretation has everything to do with me
3. Once I think I understand what the person said ... now ask questions
4. I have buttons, they get pushed. Interesting to see at the end of the
Day what/who seemed to be pushing what buttons.

And lastly.... I have always known time ... just time is precious ... it is the only
Real gift I believe we can give to one another....

The choice of where to spend my time either physically or mentally
Seems really clear after my game of interpretation...

And reality is in between..
my initial interpretation,
the interpretation I settled with hours later
and
the answers to the questions I began to ask.
Oh... and this one... big help.
NO ONE IS ABOVE HAVING THEIR BUTTONS PUSHED!

It is just what you do with it when you feel the push!

PLAYING HOUSE

Life is so interesting now
or
maybe I just started paying attention.

We all seem to be seeing more
feeling less
putting judgement aside
knocking down boundaries

and

one plus one, does not equal two anymore

and

when you ask someone a direct question
why can't they answer it?


If you say something aloud it then becomes real

something like wedding vows
stating your goals out-loud
telling the truth
telling a lie

or

chatty ass gossip

no one is above it
but
does it make it real

Do we create a truth that is not reality just by telling secrets?

Keeping confidence and being trustworthy
does not mean you never share
it means you choose your listening partners carefully.

It means you are sharing stories to grow, to understand, to grieve, to laugh, to love
BUT
You are sharing to be a better you
not hurt someone else

I talk all the time about
people, places, things

Some would say I share my own life much to freely
or
I am too private to break
or
The hours I spend alone should make me lonely

and
to date
I love this description of me best

She likes a schedule
She likes extended families
She likes to feel
She likes to eat well
She laughs at her midnight chocolate runs
She likes to drink in moderation and/or all day in summer
She dreams of dancing on bar tops in some Coyote Ugly Bar .... One day.... Some day
She likes to talk about everything
She likes to talk about nothing ~ silence is her friend
She is tough to bend but easily broken
and
She never shows her cards
the bluff is her friend
and
Everything is a test
which no one can fail
especially her

The only way she knows how to learn is to live!

Interesting?

Why do we think more about who is coming to our wedding, than who will be at our funeral?

Why do couples separate, marry, divorce?

Is it love if it is stable ~ where is the drama?

Why do people look at the tag if they love something?

Is it fair to be in love forever and never be in that place again?

When we laugh, giggle, drink too much and just be ~ why is there regret?

What is regret?

What is age?

What is an expectation?

What is a want?

When you ask someone, in one sentence

"Tell Me What You Want From Me"
and
you
send the definition of want
along with the email

What te-hell are you looking for?

I am willing to bet, you are looking for the same answers

you ask of
the committed coffee fairy
who never is late
the coffee is perfect

but hides their wings when they drop it off

You can't play house
You can't play life
You can't play mom
You can't play dad
You can't play divorce
You can't play marriage
You can't play friendship

If you want the real stuff you can't play the game

unless the game

IS

Try making every game you play a reality and see how close you come to winning!

MONDAY, MONDAY SO GOOD TO ME

Monday, Monday so good to me,
that is a song right?

It may be a tune I learn to hum
or
sing loudly in my cave
while dancing around in my princess terra.

You love Monday's when you like routine.
When you thrive on a schedule...
Feel safer with a plan...
and
Spend hours in a place you love.


No wonder I struggle with Sunday.


You love Monday's when you know you are guaranteed to see people you adore.
When you thrive on connection...
Feel safer if you are helping
and
Spend hours in a place you love.


No wonder I miss the Studio on weekends.


You love Monday's when you are sure something will happen to make you smile.
When you feel thrive on wanting everyone happy...
Feel safer if you are lending a hand
and
Spend hours in a place you love.


You might also like Monday's

If the someone leaves you your favorite coffee outside your door.
Or suddenly little painting supplies show up, so you can try painting your tree from across the lake.
It may even be the day you know you might be driving toward your destiny.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........

ok

It could Also Be...


You may be closer to 40 than 30...
The state highway boys may be are working directly outside your home...

And

You may be aware most of your attention usually comes from a four legged friend...
And you have convinced yourself you are not desperate but selective, happy and free...
And

You may park in your driveway to the ringing of one of the highway boys yelling
"How are you today KID"

Note the Kid
Note he was kind when he said it
Note you are living in the smallest town on earth
Note You feel closer to 18 than 40

But

The Highway Guys Do Not Work Weekends ...

Monday, Monday so good to me
la, la, la, la, la, la
don't you see
why Monday's are so good for little ole' me
la, la, la, la, la

What?
I think men who get their hands dirty are hot!
Happy Monday!

SHE KEEPS SAYING IT

Have you ever seen a dog chase its' tail
or
Asked for something in your mind
something like a wish
but you do not even know it is there.

Can you have it all?

Should you want it all?

What is all?

If you stand toe to toe with your destiny
and
have no idea how you got there
do you trust yourself?

I have watched her without qualification
trust her heart.

I am amazed every-time she says
"It's just not time yet."

To know something with such certainty
to believe in something
without question.

Funny? Odd?

Ask yourself, right now, what do you believe in without question?

I have watched many a doggie chase its' tail.
I frequently chase mine.

Around and Around and Around.

But I have also watched many a doggie turn in a circle
Around and Around And Around
getting ready to rest
testing the ground to make it safe
to make it comfy.

There are people, places and things
that send us all
Around and Around and Around

We keep spinning
we may always spin
Around and Around And Around

But if we keep pausing in the same spots...
Stopping at the same road signs...
Returning to the same comfort zone...

What is that?

Is it habit?
Is it truth?
Is it weakness or strength?

Is it your deepest fear
or
Your wildest dream

Maybe it is both

But I stand in awe
as the story unfolds
and
every day takes shape

and

We all go Around, Around and Around

and

She continues to say
with eyes wide open

a heart more open than her eyes

and

a mind filled with reasons not to believe....

She really does say it
out-loud
looking me in the eye

"It's just not time yet."

I SEE YOU
There is not a moment that goes by that I do not see you.
I know what you are about to say, what you are afraid to say, what you want to say, what you cannot imagine saying and then you breathe.
Just breathe.
There is no pain that cannot be shared unless you wish for it to shackle you.
Just breathe.
There is no dream that cannot be announced unless you live without hope.
Just breathe.
There is no experience that can hold you in one place forever unless you do not want to move.
Just breathe.
There is not another single person on this earth who holds your same pain, unless you share your pain with them.
Just breathe.
There is no time in your life you will be wanting unless you never realize all you have right now in this moment.
Just breathe.
There is no happiness you cannot feel unless your fear of splendid emotions is covered by locked doors in your soul.
Just breathe.
Gather up your thoughts, breathe.
Gather up your desires, breathe
Gather up your fear, breathe
Gather up your love, breathe
Gather up your pain, breathe
Gather up your laughter, breathe
Gather up your courage, breathe
Inhale
Exhale
let go …. Just say the words… You are set free
Be Still
Inhale
Breathe
Breathe Baby, Just Breathe

ONE WEEK LATER

In a single week
day by day you
seem to find a
new way

A place you could
not find
one week ago

What now is laughter
was then tears...

Heading toward Monday

Monday is something
like a deep breathe
when you most need
to ...

you need something

that Monday never brings
but Sunday is full of

and

everyone has a favorite day

Tonight is something
like a deep breathe
when you need
to ...

you need something

Something that leaves a mark
a place on your body that shows
a place in your mind that holds

holds on tight

Year in and Year out

But Monday comes around
again and again

And now you love Sundays

because what you need has
been found

and

never give in to what
others accept
if it does not
work for you

random texts never work
they are the things that
get you a reaction but
not an emotion

voicemail another story
you actually hear emotion
but you cannot touch it

The voicemails that tell you

that the only way to help

is to

Hug

that the only way to help
is face to face

If Monday is around
the corner
hours away

and

a single text takes
one minute away
from your Sunday

Take that minute back
and
never give it away again